1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a contact structure in a socket with an IC carrier placed thereon in which an IC package is held by the IC carrier and the IC carrier is placed on the IC socket in order to obtain a contact relation between the IC package and the IC socket.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In general, an IC carrier holds an IC package in such a manner that contact pieces of the IC package are supported on an upper surface of a flat square frame and engaging claws are engaged with an edge portion of an IC package body.
Heretofore, there have been widely employed contact systems in which the IC package is placed on the socket together with the IC carrier without removing the IC package from the IC carrier in order to obtain a contact relation between the socket and the IC contact pieces.
In the prior art, the IC carrier for holding the IC package is inverted and placed on the socket in such a manner that the IC contact pieces and the upper surface of the frame are faced downward, said IC contact pieces being placed on the contacts arranged within the socket, the IC carrier being urged against the socket by a presser plate provided to the socket, so that the IC carrier is held by the socket by the pressing force and contact pressure between the contacts and contact pieces is obtained.
In such conventional socket with an IC carrier placed thereon as mentioned above, the IC carrier must be inverted each time when it is loaded on the socket and opening and closing operation of the presser plate and a lock lever must be carried out. Accordingly, it is difficult to automate the loading operation. Furthermore, as the IC package is sandwiched between the IC carrier and the socket and the presser plate is put thereon to cover, heat radiation of the IC package is badly decreased.
Although there is another device in which the carrier has the function of a presser plate, as strength is required for the carrier, weight is increased and an external configuration becomes large. Therefore, no improvement is made in respect to hindrance of heat radiation.